Pasto

Altitude: 2527 m/8,213 ft, Population: approximately 400,000, City Code: 2

Located atop a plateau surrounded by verdant hills to the east and Volcán Galeras to the west, Pasto is 88 kilometers (54 mi) from the Ecuador border, on the Pan-American Highway. This capital of Nariño Department is a pleasant place to spend a few days. With impressive churches, architecture, museums and nearby villages to explore and natural reserves only several hours away, there is something for everyone’s taste. Strolling through the streets, you can soon see why Pasto is nicknamed “La Ciudad de los Balcones”—The City of Balconies. Fine woodworking in many styles decorates these personal vantage points over the narrow colonial streets.

If you can, come in time for the city’s renowned Black and White Carnival, celebrated in January—but wear your oldest clothes, like the locals do. It’s said to be quite a messy party. This Carnival is a time when people celebrate ethnic and social diversity, which has given it UNESCO recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Pasto identifies itself culturally more with northern Ecuador than Colombia; during colonial times, trade routes connected this city with population centers further south.

Neighborhoods in Pasto: Near Pasto,

Other places nearby Pasto: San Agustín, Popayán, Tierradentro, Parque Nacional Puracé and Ipiales.